Resistance exerciser for wrists,arms,and upper body



Feb. 18. 1969 1*. J. MITCHELL 3,

RESISTANCE EXERCISER FOR WRISTS. ARIS. AND U'PPER BODY Filed April 1. 1966 Fig2 INVENTOR BY THoenL J. MITCHELL I nromsrs United States Patent 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for toning the musculature of the upper body and extremities, comprising a frictionally mounted pivot bar having a hand-grip at its upper end rigidly positioned at 90 to its long axis, to provide predetermined resistance to both rocking and tWisting movement of the bar when the hand-grip is grasped by the user.

This invention relates to therapeutic exercising devices and particularly to an arm therapy device.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device that will be a valuable adjunct to rehabilitation for anyone with involvement of the musculature of the upper extremity.

Included in this class would be stroke victims, arthritics, cerebral palsies, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, peripheral nerve injuries, and many more less common ailments.

It is common knowledge among professional people, concerned with rehabilitation, that the strength of a muscle increases according to the resistance it is able to move or push against, as in isometric exercises.

Therefore, another object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type stated, that can be adjusted to vary its resistance to arm movement from practically zero to a point where it cannot be moved, according to the needs of the patient.

A further object is to provide such an Arm Therapist that is relatively low in cost, simple in operation, and which may be easily mounted on a bench or wall, or clamped to a door opening, as may be required for the convenience of the patient.

These, and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claim, together with the accompanying drawing, wherein like parts are referred to and indicated by like reference numerals, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the arm therapist that is the subject of the invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the same, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is seen in FIGURE 1 the arm therapist, that is the subject of the invention, broadly indicated by reference numeral In the preferred form shown, the device has a rigid, flat, base 11 which is adapted to be mounted on a bench or wall by means of bolts or screws 12, located at each corner of the base. If more convenient for the patient, the base 11 may be mounted on the jamb of a door-way opening by means of suitable C-clamps, not shown.

The base 11 has a threaded blind-bore 13, open through its top surface, as is seen most clearly in FIGURE 2.

A concave seat 14 is located at the inner end of the bore 13. The curvature of the seat 14 is such that it will mate with the surface of a solid ball 18, intended to rest thereon.

Reference numeral 19 indicates a rigid bar, or rod, approximately /3" in diameter and 8 to 10 inches long,

3,428,311 Patented Feb. 18, 1969 which is mounted on the ball 18 at its polar axis and extends outwardly, radially, therefrom, as illustrated.

A hand-grip 21 is mounted at the free end of the rod 19.

The handle 21 has contoured finger grooves 22, for the convenience and comfort of the patient in grasping the handle.

Reference numeral 15 indicates a cage having an externally threaded body 16 which rotatably interfits the threaded blind-bore 13, as seen in FIGURE 2.

The cage 15 has a top opening bounded by an annular seat 17 complemental to the base seat 14.

In the assembled device the ball 18 is nested between the base and cage seats 14 and 17, respectively, with the rode 19 extending through the opening of the annular seat 17.

An elongated bar, or arm 20, extends radially of the peripheral edge of the cage 15 in a plane parallel to the base 11. The arm 20 is used to facilitate the rotation of the cage in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions within the bore 13.

Rotation of the cage 15 moves the cage seat 17 toward or away from the base seat 14, between adjusted positions, whereby frictional engagement between the surface of the ball 18 and the cage and base seats may be infinitely varied by small increments. The frictional drag can 'be varied, as desired, by rotation of the cage by means of the cage arm 20.

The handle 21 and rod 19 are movable in arcs limited only by the diameter of the opening in the center of the annular seat 17. Such arcs may be varied 360 relative to the polar axis of the ball 18.

The ball can also be simultaneouly tilted and rotated by the handle 21, thereby affording twisting exercise for the wrist muscles.

The arm therapist is most effective for muscle rehabilitation if used only for short intervals, repeated several times each day after suitable rest periods.

Following is a list of the muscles which will profit most from the use of this device:

Serratum anterior Subscapularis Pectoralis major Pectoralis minor Coracobrachialis Brachialis Biceps brachii Triceps brachii Teres major Anconeus Teres minor Brachioradialis Supraspinatus Supinator Infraspinatus Pronator quadratus Deltoid Pronator teres Since it is impossible to perform any type of activity with the upper extremity without using virtually every muscle of the upper extremity, to perform this coordinated activity, the following muscles would come into play and be benefited: I

Extensor pollicis brevis Extensor indicia Abductor pollicis brevis Flexor pollicis brevis Opponens pollicis Palmaris brevis Abductor digiti minimi Flexor digiti minimi Opponens digiti minimi Lumbricales Abductor pollicis Volar Interossei Dorsal interossei It will now be clear that there has been provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth.

While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense, as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

1. A muscle toner, comprising in combination:

(a) a base, adapted to be secured to an immovable surface, having a bore centered therein with a concave seat at the lower end thereof;

(b) a cage mounted on the base, at the bore, having an opening in the top thereof bounded by an annular seat complemental to the base seat;

(0) a solid ball nested in the cage between the two seats;

(d) an upstanding bar mounted on the ball at its polar axis and tiltable therewith relative to the bounding edges of the cage opening and the vertical axis of 20 the base bore; (e) a hand-grip means rigidly mounted at the free end of bar, positioned at 90 to its long axis and adapted to be grasped for twisting the bar and its attached ball 360 in the cage; and,

(f) means, engaged with the cage, for moving the cage seat toward and away from both the ball and the base seat, between adjusted positions, whereby frictional engagement between the ball surface and the cage and base seat may be infinitely varied by small increments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,535,391 4/1925 Anderson 272-79 2,322,081 6/1943 Wright 2872l 3,163,093 12/1964 Gut 2872l XR 2,714,507 8/1955 Goodrich 27279 XR RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

